The Bonds That Bind Us
by kygirl101
Summary: Tamaki has no brothers, Kyouya has no real brothers. Wouldn't it be better if they were each other's? Done for 100 Fairytales prompt #007-blood brothers on LJ. Happens directly after episode 24 of the anime.


THE BONDS THAT BIND US

"I don't have any siblings," Tamaki confessed, staring into the dregs of his tea cup before looking back up at his new best friend over the top of the kotatsu that had been erected in the middle of Ootori Kyouya's private quarters. This seemed a rather random comment to make over green tea in the cold confines of winter, and the look that Kyouya favored him with made the Suoh look away, abashed. "My mother and father never had anymore children."

"I know. And plus, love-children usually come in quantities of one, unless you are from the Matswari family. They have nine in this generation alone." He adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose and gazed steadily at the Suoh heir.

Tamaki smiled at this, although from anyone else, that remark would have been taken as an insult. Somehow, he knew Kyouya didn't mean it. "What about you, Kyouya? I never see anyone around except the help when I visit."

"Liar, don't you remember when you barged in here the first time?" He didn't need to specify what happened later on during that impromptu drop-in; they both understood. "That was my sister's piano you played—and my brother's who listened. Are you really that stupid?"

Tamaki laughed lightly, replacing his cup on the saucer and adjusting his legs that had started to go numb under the tabletop. "I get lost in the music—and then I saw you and I wondered if you had your kotatsu ready yet. I didn't pay attention to anyone else in the room."

"So, you are an idiot."

"Kyou~ya!!" Tamaki began to whine, and slunk forward onto the table, favoring the brunette with a pout and wide, violet eyes. "Why are you so mean to meeeeeee~? I thought we were friends!"

The Ootori was unaffected. "You were the one who insisted we be as such."

"I wouldn't have if I had known I was going to expose you for the evil demon lord that you are!" Tamaki smiled and Kyouya gazed back evenly. "Don't you like me at all?"

"No, no more than reason."

His forehead made a smacking sound as it connected with the table and Tamaki sat right back up, rubbing the blossoming red spot on his forehead. "Ouch."

"You're not that bad."

"What?"

He was favored with a role of the eyes and Kyouya purposefully took a sip of tea instead of answering. Tamaki's eyes widened, and then he smiled, practically glowing. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few seconds, nothing but the tick of a clock in the deeper hallways of the Ootori residence and the occasional sound of hot tea being sipped through closed lips. And then...

"Well, I like you, too, Kyouya. In fact, if I could choose, I would like nothing better than for you to be my brother—actually, any part of my family."

Kyouya stiffened. He had never considered the term 'brothers' to be one of endearment; if anything, it was only a degrading word used to belittle him and assure his place in the family roles—the youngest, the little brother, the third son, the fourth's child in the noble Ootori line. He wasn't quite sure how he felt about being labeled as a brother to anyone anymore, but at the same time, what Tamaki was saying intrigued him.

"Brother's you say?" he asked, looking over the rim of his cup. "Of which line? Suoh or Ootori."

Tamaki shook his head. "Neither—it wouldn't do for you to be an illegitimate child."

"And it wouldn't do for people to expect that much from you," Kyouya leered in return. "And, which one of us would be older?"

The Souh shrugged. "Doesn't matter—oh! We could be twins. Like the Hitachiin's in middle school's second year. It wouldn't matter who's older and who's younger that way."

"You seem awful eager about this."

"Why, no more than reason, mon ami!!" Tamaki jumped out from under the kotatsu with some difficulty and nearly falling over as blood rushed back to his feet. Once he regained feeling in his extremities, the boy took it upon himself to jump up on the couch to pace back and forth, leaving sock prints in velour/sued on the cushions. "We could share a room, stay up late painting our nails, talking about school, making shrines to famous people like Hatori Bisco in our closets! We can share cloths, and do each other's home work, and—and—"

Tamaki stopped talking, left the sentence hanging, and for a second Kyouya feared that this strange companion would say something corny, like, '_and we never have to be alone again_,' but it rather seemed that the other had simply run out of ideas, indicating it was his turn to respond.

"But we aren't siblings, are we?" Kyouya was cool about it. "We aren't even related by second cousins twice removed by marriage."

"We could be! We could be a great family." He had turned serious and speculated about the whole topic and for a second Kyouya regarded him with no opinion or judgment, simply a raised eyebrow. "So...If the Host Club a go, then?"

"Do you even know what a 'host club' pertains to in typical Japanese?"

"...No..."

"High class escorts in expensive, flashy cosplay."

"...Oh. Really?"

"Yes, Tamaki." Kyouya nodded, reaching to refill their cups as the blond dismounted the sofa and slipped back under the low table. "You should really do some research on topics you intend to bring to life."

Steam rolled into the air from the tea, and Tamaki smiled brightly. "What are brothers for—OUCH! Why'd you kick me?!?" His eyes teared up and Kyouya withdrew his legs, pulling them back up under him.

"It's what brothers are for," he mimicked in an uninterested monotone. "Now stop being such an idiotic moron, Tamaki, and drink your tea, or else I'm putting this stupid kotatsu away forever."


End file.
